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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

More August Titles!

Here are the Berkley Releases for August 2012:

A SPOONFUL OF MURDER A Soup Lover's Mystery by Connie Archer. ISBN: 978-0-425-25147-8.
This is a first in a new series release. When Lucky Jamieson inherits her parent's soup shop, By The Spoonful, she realizes she has let a lot of important things slide from her life. She vows to make some big decisions but before she can, an icy blonde tourist is found frozen to death behind the soup shop. And Lucky is shocked when her soup chef, Sage DuBois, is taken into custody. Lucky realizes it is up to her to find out the real dish of what happened.

A nice new series that involves old regrets with making amends. Lucky is a kind hearted sleuth who charms all of those around her. This is a smooth flowing story with a solid story line, likeable characters and a strong future. The soup recipes are a total bonus!

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 3.0


BRUJA BROUHAHA A Mind for Murder Mystery by Rochelle Staab. ISBN: 978-0-425-25149-2. Practical psychologist Liz Cooper and Occult Professor Nick Garfield may make an odd couple, but things get even strangers when they try to solve a mystery and protect themselves from a hex placed by a Santeria witch.
This story brings about the tragedy of losing a loved one too soon and what it can bring out in others. It is a winding tale with romance, wit, supernaturalness, and friendship mixed up together. It is well written and interesting with a hint of sadness that I did not expect.

Reviewed by :Kathy Fisher
Rating: 3.0


WHEN THE COOKIE CRUMBLES A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery by Virginia Lowell. ISBN: 978-0-425-25148-5.

Olivia Greyson owns The Gingerbread House. It is a quaint shop that specializes in all things cookie and her best friend Maddie helps her. Chatterley Height's 250th birthday celebration is approaching and Olivia and Maddie are working hard to finish a model of the famous Chatterley Mansion. When Paine Chatterley, who was thought to be dead, shows up to claim his father's house, the celebration is halted. Then Paine is found dead in the bathrub and secrets of the Chatterley family begin to surface.

Olivia and Maddie are characters you would love to have as best friends. The smells of cookie making drift off the pages and bring comfort to the reader while they are reading about horrible deaths. The setting is picturesque, the story line easy to follow, and the ending brings a bit of a surprise. Overall, a facinating read.

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 4.0



SOUR APPLES An Orchard Mystery by Sheila Connolly. ISBN: 978-0-425-25150-8.
Apple orchard owner Meg Corey is finally feeling settled into her new life in Granford. She has friends, a new guy, but then her old coworker Lauren Converse comes barreling into town helping with a congressional campaign for a former hometown guy. But Meg doesn't have time to figure out what is going on because her neighbor, dairy farmer Joyce Truesdell, is found dead supposedly by a kick from one of her own cows. When an autopsy proves this is not the case, Meg is even more troubled and needs to find out what really happened before something happens to her.

This series is enjoyable from the first page to the end. The characters mesh well, the story line flows, and the descriptions make you feel like you are right there as a part of the story. Meg is a strong woman heroine figure and will not back down. Each book in this series is a solid read and full of surprises. You cannot go wrong with this one!

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 4.0


DEATH OF A SCHOOLGIRL The Jane Eyre Chronicles by Joanna Campbell Slan. ISBN: 978-0-425-24774-7.
Jane can't help but be concerned when a letter arrives from Adele Varns, Rochester's ward, currently at boarding school, when it has a cryptic help me message written on it. Leaving her young son and invalid husband, Jane heads into London to ensure yougn Adele's safety. From the beginning the trip is doomed. Jane is robbed and beaten, no one believes that she is the wife of a gentleman, and the discovery that a classmate of Adele's is dead with no one's regard about puts her over the edge. Taking advantage of the situation, Jane poses as a missing instructor and soon uncovers some unsavory secrets that puts her own life in danger.

In typical Jane Eyre fashion, this book is full of historican connotations, super sleuthing, and ingenious ways to get around the ways of the time for women. Each twist builds upon the last until the story line explodes with the finale. This story line will take you back in time where few women had backbones to do what Jane does. It leaves you cheering on the sideline!

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 4.0


A BREW TO KILL A Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle. ISBN: 978-0-425-24787-7.
The Village Blend's Muffin Muse coffee truck is all the rage. But a fatal hit and run followed by a mysterious death at a food truck catered wedding give Clare a clue that something bittersweet is brewing. Then she opens a bag of imported coffee beans and finds ten pounds of rocks. The kind that will earn you a jail sentence and she realizes her ex husband and business partner is in over his head. To clear this up, Clare will have to get herself out of some hot water.

This is a yummy book that includes coffee cake and muffin recipes. If that doesn't reel you in, then you can be rest assured the story is a keeper. Clare is a strong character that tries to please everyone but ends up in the deepest of water. Still, she is able to keep herself afloat and solves the craziest of crimes. This is a witty, fun, delicious read.

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 3.0

August Mystery Reads!

August was a great month for mystery romance releases. There were so many fabulous books that I had a hard time choosing which ones would go into the newsletter and which ones I would put here. Choose all or any of these and you will have hit the jackpot!

Obsidian August 2012 Releases:

PERIL IN PAPERBACK A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle. ISBN: 978-0-451-23762-0.  Brooklyn Wainwright is thrilled to be invited to her friend's Aunt Grace's fiftieth birthday party. Grace is larger than life and the retired founder of a video game corporation. Part of the fun is a seance but when the lights come on and a party goer is found dead, it seems like Grace is the target. Brooklyn is determined to make sure that someone quits playing around before they all end up dead.

Imagine a huge Victorian house as the setting. With a ton of nooks and crannies and secret spots. Then enter a vivacious super sleuth who is there with two of her closest friends trying to have a good time. But the other guests are rude, jealous, and downright creepy. This is what Brooklyn finds herself mixed up with. Even though the archivist is cute, she still has to endure the fact that she is not where she wants to be, or who she wants to be with. This tall tale will have you looking around each corner before you take a step further. For sometimes the people you trust the most, don't deserve your trust. An excellent addition to this series with a great setting, interesting characters, and a surprise ending!

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 4.0


A WITCH BEFORE DYING A Wishcraft Mystery by Heather Blake. ISBN: 978-0-451-23763-7.
Darcy Merriweather is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her mother's house so she can put it on the market. Her mom has been missing for over a year. But beneath the ruble, Darcy finds Patrice Keaton's body. Was her death a crime of passion? Or were Patrice's troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish granting amulet? Darcy wishes she could wish to find out!

This book takes a bit of the paranormal and mixes it with the normal. Darcy is a Wishcrafter living in Salem, Massachusetts. When she takes on the job of cleaning Patrice's house, she never expects to find Patrice, or to stumble upon the path that brought on her death. But mysteries seem to follow Darcy and she is sucked into figuring out who may have wished Patrice dead. This is a twisting tale that brings new crafters into the story while exposing old grudges and desires. A great addition to this relatively new series. It has strong characters, an infinite possiblity of future stories, and a charming setting.

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 3.0


NO WAY TO KILL A LADY A Blackbird Sisters Mystery by Nancy Martin. ISBN: 978-0-451-23705-7.
Nora Blackbird and her sisters are called in to claim their inheritance after their great aunt Madeleine Blackbird was killed in a volcano in Indonesia. Little did they expect to find the house in total decay, all of it's treasures stripped away, and to make matters worse, a body is found in the elevator. Nora is driven to expose the truth, even if it unearths deep family secrets. She did not expect her great aunt to have so many enemies though. Now with one sister expecting a love child, her other sister fraternizing with any male around, and Nora herself finding her mobbed up boyfriend released from prison but under house arrest, Nora is left trying to make sense of this family mess.

Wow! This book has so many story lines there is bound to be one that will interest any reader. With death, nighttime adventures, and family scandal, no stone is left unturned. Nora is a strong character and her sisters add a touch of humanness as well as softness to her. Where the Blackbird sisters are, there is sure to be chaos, mayhem, and a great mystery to solve.

Reviewed by: Kathy Fisher
Rating: 3.0
MOONGLOW
Darkest London, Book Two
Kristen Callihan
Grand Central
ISBN: 978-1-455-50858-7
July 2012
Historical Romance
Victorian London

After a year of mourning for a nasty unspeakable husband, young widow Daisy Craigmore is ready for a sensual encounter, yet the interlude is interrupted  by a werewolf attack. Ian Ranulf, Marquis of Northup, is nearby when the attack occurs and he rushes to the scene. Ian is a Lycan, a being who has the ability to become a werewolf, but one who does not let his wolf  become dominant and uncontrollable such as a werewolf does. Lycans are hereditary and are not made as through a bite of another Lycan or werewolf.  Once a member, then the hereditary leader of the Clan Ranulf, Ian chose to walk away from that life and live as human despite his immortality. That Daisy was attacked by a werewolf is what Ian must investigate through Darkest London as well as hold off the strong attraction he feels for the very human and hence very mortal Daisy. Who is the werewolf that attacked Daisy and what is its connection to her? Will Ian and Daisy find a way to be together for all eternity?                  

MOONGLOW is the second entry in Kristen Callihan's wonderfully-realized Darkest London historical paranormal series, and it is a worthy successor to the first book in the series, FIRELIGHT.  MOONGLOW is sensual, compelling, and gorgeously written in Ms. Callihan's unique voice. Daisy and Ian are two, fully-developed characters, and well-matched for each other. It was great seeing old friends from FIRELIGHT and learning about the sisters' special gifts.The solution to Ian's and Daisy's  romantic conflict will tear at your heart yet the reader will agree that the solution is clever and inevitable and that there was no other solution for their happily-ever-after. This reviewer can not wait for the next installment in this thrilling series!

Reviewed by Debora Hosey
4 1/2

Sunday, August 19, 2012

JESSE - Review

JESSE
The Secret Life of Cowboys
C.H. Admirand
Sourcebooks
ISBN# 978-1-4022-6519-8
Contemporary Western

Jesse Garahan, having had his heart broken recently, wasn't looking for love. He was content with working his family's ranch with his two brothers, even if he was a little envious of their new found happiness. Then, along the roadside, he finds a beautiful woman and her young daughter stranded with a broken down vehicle. Instantly taken with them, he finds himself wanting to be close to both of them. Danielle Brockway had her fill of handsome cowboys, especially her ex-husband who left them behind. Yet, she and Jesse form a friendship that suddenly flames into searing passion. With both of them recovering from past hurts, will they be able to get past the past to get to their future? Fans of this series will love seeing Jesse get his chance at true love. This modern-day cowboy romance is sure to please all those western romance lovers out there, with this sexy cowboy. I loved the little girl Lacy, and how she just wrapped Jesse around her finger. Interactions with previous and secondary characters complete this well-written romance.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 3

Scandal Wears Satin review

SCANDAL WEARS SATIN
Loretta Chase
Avon Publishing
ISBN# 978-0-06-210031-3
July 2012
Historical Romance

Second in the series, dressmaker Sophy Noirot, happens to be trying to save her and her sisters' dress shop from the recent scandal. When the Earl of Longmore's sister, Clara, is caught in a compromising position with a rake, Longmore gets her to use Sophy's dress shop for her upcoming wedding. Then, Clara runs away and Longmore has to give chase, and Sophy tags along. They must come up with a way to help Clara not to have to marry said rake and avoid scandal. Somewhere along the way, they realize that their attraction to each other is something neither one can avoid! Filled with constant action, this highly charged romance will have you smiling and cheering these two on from the start.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 3

Monday, August 13, 2012

ANOTHER JULY PARANORMAL

LIQUID LIES
The Elementals-Book 1
Hanna Martine
Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 978-0-425-25724-1
July 2012
Paranormal
Gwen Carroway is part of the Ofarian race and as such she is able to turn to water and use it to her advantage. She also has another gift and that is the gift to pick up any language and interpret it immediately. She uses her gift to help her company profit and one day hopes to help lead her company as well as her people, but she hasn't managed to make it onto the board yet. Her people have many secrets and many that she is not privy to as of yet. She even has a prearranged marriage in the future with her protector, Griffin. But everything changes when she is kidnapped by another and her eyes are opened for the first time. She learns some awful truths about her life as well as her people. Her kidnapper also changes her life as he changes to protector. Reed considers himself a retriever, but falls under Gwen's spell and soon will do anything to protect her, even staying on and acting as her jailer when deep down he knows that is not the reason he stays. When Gwen finally opens up to Reed, he finds that he may have to learn to trust even when it seems there is no reason to. LIQUID LIES is book one in this new series and shows great promise. I loved the angst between all the characters as well as Gwen and Reed, not to mention the passion. I look forward to her next release, A TASTE OF ICE.
Reviewed by Lori Sears
Rating: 4

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Ravishing The Heiress - by Sherry Thomas

RAVISHING THE HEIRESS
Sherry Thomas
Berkley Sensation
ISBN #978-0-425-25087-7
Historical Romance
July 2012

Millicent has always known she was to have an arranged marriage. One that required duty and least of all love. However, she fell in love with her husband on sight and has never quite gotten over it. The newly titled Earl Fitzhugh, after a bit of bad luck having his cousin drop dead at the ripe old age of 32, Fitz seems to have acquired a mountain of debt and a ruinous estate along with his title. The only way out was to marry an heiress and it seemed the one picked for his late cousin is the one for the job. She's just as good as any, after all, since he can never marry the woman he truly loves, the beautiful but not wealthy, Isabelle Pelham.

Their marriage is one of convenience at first, but then, astonishingly, it slowly gives way to a deep friendship. Fitz, never realizing his wife is in love with him, carries on his duties and becomes quite successful with the help of his wife, who seems a enigma to him. Millie, every hopeful, finally has the chance she's waited for with Fitz, but will it be too late now that Isabelle is back and Fitz doesn't really require her fortune anymore?

Grab your hankies because this one elicited a few tears along the way. Full of sorrow and unrequited love from several characters, the anguish is heart wrenching on both sides as we watch Millie and Fitz both love someone they know they cannot have. The ending, although a bit too quickly wrapped up without much fanfare, seemed to stay true to characters. Set in the late Victorian era, I enjoyed reading about the end of the 19th century. Certainly the upcoming book about Fitz' twin sister Helena Fitzhugh in October, will be the eagerly anticipated!

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones
Rating: 4

Thursday, August 09, 2012

RETURN OF THE VISCOUNT - Review

RETURN OF THE VISCOUNT
Gayle Callen
Avon Publishing
ISBN# 978-0-06-207606-9
August 2012
Historical Romance

After her father's death in India, Cecilia Mallory begins to write to his close friend in the military, Sergeant Blackthorne. With her guardian overseeing her funds, she needs access to keep her ancestral estate alive and protected while her younger brother assumes the role of the new Earl. She needs to be married, and the far away Blackthorne seems the perfect answer to her prayers - so they agree to marry by proxy. Then to her surprise, her husband shows up at her doorstep, wounded and quite young and handsome! Michael Blackthorne owes Cecilia's father a debt to which he can never repay, but he tries to make up for it in the only way he could - by giving her what she needed in a marriage by name. Upon meeting and seeing her, Michael slowly begins to involve himself in her and her brother's lives, and growing to care for her. However, when someone clearly wants to harm her, it's up to Michael to protect her and hopefully earn her trust and love along the way. This is a simmering romance that doesn't fully blossom until the end. I enjoyed the characters somewhat, but found Cecilia's over-indulgence with her brother and her stubbornness against getting to know her husband frustrating. Overall, I enjoyed the build-up, but just wish the ending had been more prolonged and not wrapped up as quickly as it did.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 3

Sunday, August 05, 2012

ALONG CAME A DUKE review

ALONG CAME A DUKE
Elizabeth Boyle
Avon Publishing
ISBN# 978-0-06-208906-9
June 2012
Historical Romance

Tabitha Timmons, a spinster who suddenly inherits a fortune from a long lost uncle, is now forced into marriage in order to inherit said fortune. That's all fine and good until she meets the Duke of Preston, and the sparks begin to fly at every meeting. Preston becomes beguiled by Tabitha and wants to find a way for her to keep her fortune and not have to be stuck in a passionless marriage. However, the tables turn when they both realize that the missing ingredient in all this may just be what they have found together. Fun, witty and with charming characters, this Cinderella story is light-hearted enough to entertain, but with enough passion to keep the embers simmering!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Jones
Rating: 3